Metal-insulator-metal (MIM) capacitor structure formed with dual damascene structure

ABSTRACT

A microelectronic product and a method for fabricating the same each provide a capacitor formed interposed between a first dielectric layer and a second dielectric layer formed over a substrate having a first contact region and a second contact region exposed therein. The capacitor is also connected to a first conductor stud that penetrates the first dielectric layer and contacts the first contact region and a second conductor stud that penetrates the second dielectric layer. A contiguous conductor interconnect and conductor stud layer is formed within a dual damascene aperture through the second dielectric layer and the first dielectric layer and contacting the second contact region. An etch stop layer employed when forming a trench within the dual damascene aperture also passivates a capacitor sidewall.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The invention relates generally to capacitor structures formed withinmicroelectronic products. More particularly, the invention relates tomethods for efficiently integrating capacitor structures formed withinmicroelectronic products.

2. Description of the Related Art

Capacitors are frequently employed within microelectronic products. Theyoften serve digital data storage functions. They may also serve analogor digital signal processing functions. Although they are often criticalcomponents within integrated circuits, integration of capacitors withinmicroelectronic products is nonetheless not entirely without problems.

The invention is thus directed towards efficiently integrating capacitorstructures within microelectronic products.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A first object of the invention is to provide a capacitor structurewithin a microelectronic product.

A second object of the invention is to provide a capacitor structure inaccord with the first object of the invention, where the capacitorstructure is efficiently integrated into the microelectronic product.

In accord with the objects of the invention, the invention provides amicroelectronic product having a capacitor formed therein, and a methodfor fabricating the microelectronic product having the capacitor formedtherein.

In accord with the invention, the microelectronic product comprises asubstrate having a first contact region and a laterally (i.e.,horizontally) separated second contact region exposed therein. A firstdielectric layer is formed over the substrate including the firstcontact region and the second contact region. A second dielectric layeris formed over the first dielectric layer. A capacitor is formedinterposed between the first dielectric layer and the second dielectriclayer. The capacitor is also sandwiched between: (1) a first conductorstud that penetrates the first dielectric layer and contacts the firstcontact region; and (2) a second conductor stud that penetrates thesecond dielectric layer. Finally, the microelectronic product comprisesa contiguous conductor interconnect and conductor stud layer thatcontacts the second contact region and is formed into a trench definedwithin the second dielectric layer and a contiguous via defined withinthe first dielectric layer.

The invention provides a capacitor structure efficiently integrated intoa microelectronic product.

The invention realizes the foregoing object by forming a capacitorstructure in conjunction with a dual damascene conductor structurewithin a microelectronic product.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The objects, features and advantages of the invention are understoodwithin the context of the Description of the Preferred Embodiment, asset forth below. The Description of the Preferred Embodiment isunderstood within the context of the accompanying drawings, which form amaterial part of this disclosure, wherein:

FIG. 1, FIG. 2, FIG. 3 and FIG. 4 show a series of schematiccross-sectional diagrams illustrating the results of progressive stagesin fabricating a microelectronic product in accord with a preferredembodiment of the invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

The invention provides a capacitor structure efficiently integrated intoa microelectronic product.

The invention realizes the foregoing object by forming a capacitorstructure in conjunction with a dual damascene conductor structurewithin a microelectronic product.

FIG. 1 to FIG. 4 show a series of schematic cross-sectional diagramsillustrating the results of progressive stages in fabricating amicroelectronic product in accord with a preferred embodiment of theinvention.

FIG. 1 shows a substrate 10. The substrate 10 has a pair of contactregions 12 a and 12 b formed laterally separated and exposed therein. Anoptional blanket barrier layer 14 is formed upon the substrate 10 andthe exposed pair of contact regions 12 a and 12 b. Finally, a blanketfirst dielectric layer 16 is formed upon the blanket barrier layer 14.

The substrate 10 may be employed in any of several microelectronicproducts, including but not limited to integrated circuit products,ceramic substrate products and optoelectronic products. The substrate 10may consist of or comprise layers of any of several types ofmicroelectronic materials, including but not limited to conductormaterials, semiconductor materials and dielectric materials. Preferably,the substrate 10 comprises a semiconductor substrate. The semiconductorsubstrate preferably has several layers formed thereover, includingdielectric layers and conductor layers such as to provide the contactregions 12 a and 12 b.

The contact regions 12 a and 12 b may be either semiconductor contactregions (when the substrate consists of or comprises a semiconductorsubstrate or a semiconductor layer) or conductor contact regions.Typically, the contact regions 12 a and 12 b are formed of abidirectional linewidth of from about 0.1 to about 1.0 microns.Preferably, the contact regions 12 a and 12 b are conductor contactregions typically comprising copper or copper containing conductormaterials.

The optional blanket barrier layer 14 is generally employed undercircumstances where the pair of contact regions 12 a and 12 b is formedof a copper conductor material. Under such circumstances, the blanketbarrier layer 14 is typically formed of a dielectric barrier materialsuch as silicon nitride or silicon oxynitride, such as to inhibitinterdiffusion of copper from the contact regions 12 a and 12 b with adielectric material from which is formed the blanket first dielectriclayer 16. Typically, the blanket barrier layer 14 is formed to athickness of from about 200 to about 500 angstroms.

The blanket first dielectric layer 16 may be formed of comparativelyhigher dielectric constant dielectric materials (i.e., having adielectric constant greater than about 4) such as silicon oxidedielectric materials. The blanket first dielectric layer 16 may also beformed of comparatively lower dielectric constant dielectric materials(i.e., having a dielectric constant less than about 4) such asspin-on-polymer (SOP) dielectric materials, spin-on-glass (SOG)dielectric materials, amorphous carbon dielectric materials andfluorosilicate glass (FSG) dielectric materials. Preferably, the blanketfirst dielectric layer 16 is formed from a fluorosilicate glass (FSG)dielectric material formed to a thickness of from about 4000 to about8000 angstroms.

FIG. 2 shows the results of etching the blanket first dielectric layer16 and the blanket barrier layer 14 to form a pair of patterned firstdielectric layers 16 a and 16 b and a pair of patterned barrier layers14 a and 14 b that in an aggregate form a first via. A first conductorstud layer 17 is formed into the first via and reaching to the top ofthe pair of patterned first dielectric layers 16 a and 16 b. FIG. 2 alsoillustrates a capacitor structure 19 contacting the first conductor stud17. The capacitor structure 19 comprises in planar layered succession:(1) a first capacitor plate 18 formed upon the pair of patterned firstdielectric layers 16 a and 16 b and contacting the first conductor stud17; (2) a capacitor dielectric layer 20 formed upon the first capacitorplate 18; (3) a second capacitor plate 22 formed upon the capacitordielectric layer 20; and (4) an optional anti-reflective coating layer24 formed upon the second capacitor plate 22. The optionalanti-reflective coating layer 24 derives from a blanket anti-reflectivecoating layer that was employed in defining a patterned photoresistlayer in-turn employed as an etch mask layer for forming the capacitorstructure 19 from a corresponding series blanket layers.

The blanket first dielectric layer 16 and the blanket barrier layer 14are both typically patterned to form the corresponding patterned layerswhile employing an anisotropic plasma etch method. The first conductorstud 17 may be formed of a copper core material layer laminated to abarrier material liner layer. Other conductor materials mayalternatively be employed. Each of the first capacitor plate 18 and thesecond capacitor plate 20 may be formed from any of several capacitorplate materials, including but not limited to doped polysilicon (havinga dopant concentration of greater than about 1E20 dopant atoms per cubiccentimeter), polycide (doped polysilicon/metal silicide stack), metaland metal alloy (including nitride alloy) capacitor plate materials.Preferably, each of the first capacitor plate 18 and the secondcapacitor plate 22 is formed of a tantalum nitride capacitor platematerial formed to a thickness of from about 500 to about 1000angstroms. The capacitor dielectric layer 20 may be formed from any ofseveral capacitor dielectric materials. The capacitor dielectricmaterials may include comparatively low dielectric constant dielectricmaterials (i.e., having a dielectric constant less than about 10 such assilicon oxide, silicon nitride and silicon oxynitride dielectricmaterials) and comparatively high dielectric constant dielectricmaterials (i.e., having a dielectric constant greater than about 10 suchas barium strontium titanate (BST) dielectric materials and leadzirconate titanate (PZT) dielectric materials) . Preferably thecapacitor dielectric layer 20 is formed of a silicon oxide dielectricmaterial formed to a thickness of from about 100 to about 500 angstroms.The optional anti-reflective coating layer 24 may be formed to athickness of from about 100 to about 500 angstroms from any of severalanti-reflective coating (ARC) materials, including organic polymeranti-reflective coating materials and silicon oxynitride anti-reflectivecoating (ARC) materials.

FIG. 3 first shows a pair of spacer layers 26 a and 26 b formedadjoining and passivating a pair of sidewalls of the capacitor structure19. The pair of spacer layers 26 a and 26 b is of necessity formed of adielectric spacer material such as to avoid electrical shorting withinthe capacitor structure 19. A silicon oxide dielectric spacer materialis typically employed such as to provide optimal dielectric isolation.The pair of spacer layers 26 a and 26 b is preferably formed employingan anisotropic etching of a blanket spacer material layer.

A blanket etch stop layer 28 is formed upon exposed portions of the pairof patterned first dielectric layers 16 a and 16 b , the pair of spacerlayers 26 a and 26 b and the anti-reflective coating (ARC) layer 24. Theblanket etch stop layer 28 is typically formed of a dielectric material,such as a silicon nitride or silicon oxynitride dielectric material,although other materials may also be employed. Typically, the blanketetch stop layer 28 is formed to a thickness of from about 200 to about1000 angstroms. In addition to providing an etch stop function withinthe microelectronic product of FIG. 3, the blanket etch stop layer 28also provides additional and more remote sidewall passivation andbarrier properties for the capacitor structure 19. The barrierproperties are intended to inhibit diffusion of impurities into thespacer layers 26 a and 26 b.

FIG. 3 next shows a blanket second dielectric layer 30 formed upon theblanket etch stop layer 28. FIG. 3 finally shows a blanket planarizingstop layer 32 formed upon the blanket second dielectric layer 20.

The blanket second dielectric layer 30 may be formed of dielectricmaterials analogous, equivalent of identical to the dielectric materialsemployed for forming the blanket first dielectric layer 16. Preferably,the blanket second dielectric layer 30 is also formed of a fluorinatedsilicon glass (FSG) dielectric material, and formed to a thickness offrom about 4000 to about 8000 angstroms. Under such circumstances, theblanket etch stop layer 28 provides diffusion inhibition for freefluorine from the blanket second dielectric layer 30 into the pair ofspacer layers 26 a and 26 b, which would otherwise compromiseperformance of the capacitor structure 19. The blanket planarizing stoplayer 32 is typically formed of a silicon nitride material formed to athickness of from about 200 to about 500 angstroms, although otherplanarizing stop materials may also be employed.

FIG. 4 first shows the results of: (1) forming a second via through theblanket planarizing stop layer 32, the blanket second dielectric layer30 and the anti-reflective layer 24 to reach the second capacitor plate22; and (2) forming a dual damascene aperture (i.e., a trench contiguouswith a via) through the blanket planarizing stop layer 32, the blanketsecond dielectric layer 30, the blanket etch stop layer 28, thepatterned first dielectric layer 16 b and the patterned barrier layer 14b. The results of forming the second via and the dual damascene apertureprovide: (1) a series of patterned planarizing stop layers 32 a, 32 band 32 c; (2) a series of patterned second dielectric layers 30 a, 30 band 30 c; (3) a series of patterned etch stop layers 28 a, 28 b and 28c; (4) a pair of patterned anti-reflective layers 24 a and 24 b; (5) apair of patterned first dielectric layers 16 b′ and 16 b″; and (6) apair of patterned barrier layers 14 b′ and 14 b″from correspondinglayers prior to patterning. The patterning may be undertaken employingmethods as are conventional in the art.

With respect to forming the dual damascene aperture, and as isunderstood by a person skilled in the art, the dual damascene apertureis formed employing a two-step etch method. One step within the two-stepetch method defines the trench dimensions within the second dielectriclayer while a second step in the etch method defines the via dimensionswithin the first dielectric layer. The invention is operative in eitherpermutation of trench etch first or via etch first. However, the secondvia accessing the second capacitor plate 22 is typically formedsimultaneously with the via etch when forming the dual damasceneaperture, since a need to etch through the blanket etch stop layer 28exists in both of those circumstances. Thus, within the invention, theblanket etch stop layer 28 serves as a trench floor within a dualdamascene aperture (i.e., for etch stop purposes when forming a trenchwithin a dual damascene aperture), as well as a remote passivation layerfor passivating a sidewall of a capacitor structure within themicroelectronic product as illustrated in FIG. 4.

FIG. 4 finally shows a second conductor stud 34 a formed into the secondvia and a contiguous conductor interconnect and conductor stud 34 bformed into the dual damascene aperture. The second conductor stud 34 aand the contiguous conductor interconnect and conductor stud layer 34 bare typically formed simultaneously employing a planarizing method, suchas a chemical mechanical polish (CMP) planarizing method. They aretypically also formed of a copper or copper alloy conductor materiallayer laminated to a barrier material layer.

FIG. 4 illustrates a microelectronic product formed in accord with apreferred embodiment of the invention. The microelectronic fabricationcomprises a capacitor interposed between a pair of conductor studs thatpenetrate a pair of dielectric layers that are also separated by thecapacitor. The microelectronic product also comprises a dual damasceneaperture and contiguous conductor interconnect and conductor stud layerformed through the pair of dielectric layers. Within the microelectronicfabrication, an etch stop layer employed for forming a trench within thedual damascene aperture also passivates a sidewall of the capacitor.

The preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrative of theinvention rather than limiting of the invention. Revisions andmodifications may be made to methods, materials, structures anddimensions of the microelectronic fabrication in accord with thepreferred embodiment of the invention, while still providing amicroelectronic product in accord with the invention, further in accordwith the accompanying claims.

1. A microelectronic product comprising: a substrate having exposedtherein a first contact region and a second contact region; a firstdielectric layer formed over the substrate and a second dielectric layerformed over the first dielectric layer; a capacitor formed interposedbetween the first dielectric layer and the second dielectric layer, thecapacitor also being sandwiched between a first conductor stud thatpenetrates the first dielectric layer and contacts the first contactregion and a second conductor stud that penetrates the second dielectriclayer; and a contiguous conductor interconnect and conductor stud layercontacting the second contact region and formed into a trench definedwithin the second dielectric layer and a contiguous via defined withinthe first dielectric layer.
 2. The microelectronic product of claim 1further comprising an etch stop layer interposed between the firstdielectric layer and the second dielectric layer.
 3. The microelectronicproduct of claim 2 wherein the etch stop layer simultaneously serves asa floor of the trench and passivates a sidewall of the capacitor.
 4. Themicroelectronic product of claim 3 wherein at least one of the firstdielectric layer and the second dielectric layer is formed of acomparatively low dielectric constant dielectric material.
 5. Themicroelectronic product of claim 4 wherein the etch stop layer is formedof a silicon nitride material.
 6. The microelectronic product of claim 1further comprising a spacer layer passivating a sidewall of thecapacitor.
 7. A microelectronic product comprising: a substrate havingexposed therein a first contact region and a second contact region; afirst dielectric layer formed over the substrate and a second dielectriclayer formed over the first dielectric layer; a capacitor formedinterposed between the first dielectric layer and the second dielectriclayer, the capacitor also being sandwiched between a first conductorstud that penetrates the first dielectric layer and contacts the firstcontact region and a second conductor stud that penetrates the seconddielectric layer; a spacer layer passivating a sidewall of thecapacitor; and a contiguous conductor interconnect and conductor studlayer contacting the second contact region and formed into a trenchdefined within the second dielectric layer and a contiguous via definedwithin the first dielectric layer, wherein the trench has as its flooran etch stop layer interposed between the first dielectric layer and thesecond dielectric layer and also passivating a sidewall of thecapacitor.
 8. The microelectronic product of claim 7 wherein thesubstrate comprises a semiconductor substrate.
 9. The microelectronicproduct of claim 7 wherein at least one of the first dielectric layerand the second dielectric layer is formed of a comparatively lowdielectric constant dielectric material.
 10. The microelectronic productof claim 7 wherein the spacer layer is formed of a silicon oxidematerial.
 11. The microelectronic product of claim 7 wherein the etchstop layer is formed of a silicon nitride material.
 12. Themicroelectronic product of claim 7 wherein etch stop layer is formedupon the spacer layer and passivating the sidewall of the capacitor. 13.A method for fabricating a microelectronic product comprising: providinga substrate having exposed therein a first contact region and a secondcontact region; forming a first dielectric layer over the substrate anda second dielectric layer over the first dielectric layer; forming acapacitor interposed between the first dielectric layer and the seconddielectric layer, where the capacitor is also formed sandwiched betweena first conductor stud that penetrates the first dielectric layer andcontacts the first contact region and a second conductor stud thatpenetrates the second dielectric layer; and forming a contiguousconductor interconnect and conductor stud layer contacting the secondcontact region and into a trench defined within the second dielectriclayer and a contiguous via defined within the first dielectric layer.14. The method of claim 13 further comprising forming an etch stop layerinterposed between the first dielectric layer and the second dielectriclayer.
 15. The method of claim 14 wherein the etch stop layersimultaneously serves as a floor of the trench and passivates a sidewallof the capacitor.
 16. The method of claim 15 wherein at least one of thefirst dielectric layer and the second dielectric layer is formed of acomparatively low dielectric constant dielectric material.
 17. Themethod of claim 16 wherein the etch stop layer is formed of a siliconnitride material.
 18. The method of claim 13 further comprising forminga spacer layer passivating a sidewall of the capacitor.
 19. The methodof claim 13 wherein a second via into which is formed the second stud isformed in part simultaneously with the via contiguous with the trench.20. The method of claim 13 wherein the second stud is formedsimultaneously with the contiguous conductor interconnect and conductorstud layer.